06 February 2010

I have to admit I'm pretty excited about this. According to early reports the line will consist of "tea dresses, polka dots, high waisted skinny jeans, wool jackets with lace, bomber jackets, etc." Hmmm.... sounds about right. Madewell is one of those stores that I walked right by when I was in NYC and didn't stop in because we just didn't have time. Now I'm sort of wishing I had because they seem to have some really cute things and no online store (yet). Hopefully they'll have their online store active for fall!*

The first pieces from the collection will be available this September, and will be sold under the label Alexa Chung for Madewell. “Pretty original, huh?” she says, laughing. “I’d wanted to call it Better than a Poke in the Eye [a Britishism for “better than nothing”], but I think we’ll save that for the buttons on the jeans.” So, denim, then? “Yeah, because it is a big thing for them. We’re doing dungaree dresses.” The design directive she gave to herself was: “Things my girlfriends would wear, and say, ‘That’s sick!’ ” Expect high-waisted pants and jeans, velvet dresses with Peter Pan collars, and a coat based on a vintage children’s one she found that originally came from Harrods. There will be nothing that nods to the eighties or nineties, because she’s not into either decade. “I want to bring back forties tea dresses, sixties mod dresses. . . . I want to bring cute back.” If she means cute of the non-saccharine, supercool variety, she already has.

*I take that back (sort of). Apparently you can shop with them via Shopbop. You learn something new every day.

hey ladies! i actually work for madewell in nyc, so i sometimes have the inside scoop when it comes to these things. if you have any questions feel free to get in touch!

direct online ordering will be happening in early spring (hopefully march or april), but in the mean time you can place orders over the phone. there is a customer service number on the website: www.madewell1937.com